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Sheep Research/Demo Farm Teagasc Athenry

Sheep Research/Demo Farm Teagasc Athenry. Philip Creighton 04 th May 2012. Research Demo Farm. Objective: To develop profitable and sustainable pasture-based systems of sheep production Key areas: Stocking rate Prolificacy Grass supply and demand Lamb performance at pasture.

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Sheep Research/Demo Farm Teagasc Athenry

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  1. Sheep Research/Demo FarmTeagascAthenry Philip Creighton 04th May 2012

  2. Research Demo Farm • Objective: • To develop profitable and sustainable pasture-based systems of sheep production • Key areas: • Stocking rate • Prolificacy • Grass supply and demand • Lamb performance at pasture

  3. Sub Objectives • Describe treatment effects on: • Feed requirements of systems • Animal performance • Pasture growth, utilisation and quality • Economic impact

  4. Research Focus • Optimum Stocking rate (ewes/ha) • Prolificacy (lambs weaned/ewe) • Lamb growth rates pre /post weaning • Finishing lambs from grass • Working towards refining Breeding index

  5. Research study • Stocking Rate • Low (10 ewes/ha) • Medium (12 ewes/ha) • High (14 ewes/ha) • Prolificacy • Medium (1.5 lambs weaned/ewe) • High (1.8 lambs weaned/ewe) • Full system farmlets – self sufficient systems

  6. Objective • Investigate the effects of stocking rate and ewe prolificacy on ; • Lamb output/ewe and /ha • Feed requirement and budgets • Pasture growth and utilisation • Overall system profitability • Closed system study

  7. System study • 6 groups – 60 animals per group = 360 ewes • Medium prolific strain – Dominant breed type on farm – Suffolk X ewe • High prolific strain – Belclare X ewe • Allow for comparison of the effects of stocking rate and lamb output per ewe

  8. Farm Layout

  9. Management • Six independent farmlets • 10 ewes/ha - Medium Prolificacy (LM- Blue) • High Prolificacy (LH- Purple) • 12 ewes/ha - Medium Prolificacy (MM- Black) High Prolificacy (MH- Red) • 14 ewes/ha- Medium Prolificacy (HM- Yellow) High Prolificacy (HH- Green)

  10. Grassland measurements • Full quantification of system • Pre and post DM yields (utilisation) • Daily herbage allowance • Daily intake • Pasture quality (weekly) • Leaf, stem and dead (fortnightly) • Farmlet areas – self sufficient- forage bought in if not possible • Feed budgets

  11. Grass Utilisation • Grass production • Potential from grass/clover system • Intake requirements/feed budget • Ewes and Lambs • Grass measurement and budgeting • Adoption • Improving Sward Quality/content • Suitability / Sustainability of Grass/clover varieties

  12. Animal performance • Lamb performance at pasture • Growth rate pre and post weaning • Health • Mortality • Parasite challenge • Drafting pattern • Drafting rates • grass budget – lambs finished or sold as stores

  13. Update

  14. Scanning Raw data – not statistically analysed

  15. Lambing 2012 • Lambing commenced March 3rd • 80% lambed in first 17days • 95% lambed by end of March • Mortality • Average ~9% • HP ~11% • MP ~7%

  16. Lambing 2012

  17. Flock Health • Ewe Mortality • 3.5-4% (Jan-Mar 2012) • Clostridia – Sordelli • E- coli Mastitis • Prolapse • Meningitis

  18. Grassland • Paddocks closed rotationally from late October • Growth rate of 3-4kg DM/day over winter (mild conditions) • First paddocks grazed cover of 1200-1300kg DM/ha (8-9cm) • Very strong grass growth during March 30-60 kg DM/ha /day • 25% of farmlet areas removed in late March for silage • Mild winter, Reseeded swards • Further 15% of LSR farmlets removed in early April • May need to graze some of this

  19. Grassland • Current situation • Growth rate of ~35-40 Kg DM/ha/day • ~10 days grass ahead @allowance of 3kg DM/head/day • Intake ranging 2.8-3.2kg DM/day • Silage removed to bring ground in • 50-100% of winter feed requirements achieved

  20. Grassland • Plot work • Clover persistency • Athenry/Moorepark/DAFM • Grazing with sheep • Herbage mass • Sward clover content • Stolon mass + tiller density • Quality • Dept evaluation trial • Cut and graze

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